Rebif Interactions: Alcohol, Medications, and Others

Does Rebif interact with other drugs?

Before starting Rebif, tell your doctor and pharmacist about any prescription, over-the-counter, or other drugs you take. Sharing this information with them may help prevent possible interactions.

To learn whether Rebif interacts with herbs, vitamins, or supplements, see the “Are there other interactions with Rebif?” section.

If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

The following table lists drugs that may interact with Rebif. Keep in mind that this table does not include all drugs that may interact with Rebif. For more information about some of these interactions, see the “Drug interactions explained” section.

When should I avoid Rebif?

Certain health conditions or other factors could increase your risk of harm if you use Rebif. These are known as contraindications. In such cases, your doctor may not prescribe this medication for you. Rebif has one contraindication, which is a previous allergic reaction.

If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Rebif or any of its ingredients, your doctor likely won’t prescribe this medication for you. Ask them about other treatments that may be better options.

Does Rebif interact with alcohol?

Rebif may interact with alcohol. Both can cause some similar side effects, such as dizziness and drowsiness. These side effects may be worse if you drink alcohol during Rebif treatment.

In addition, drinking large amounts of alcohol can harm your liver. Rebif may also cause liver damage as a side effect. So both together could further increase the risk of liver-related problems.

If you have questions about consuming alcohol during Rebif treatment, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Drug interactions explained

Learn more about certain drug interactions that can occur with Rebif.

Interaction with certain monoclonal antibodies

Rebif may interact with certain monoclonal antibodies, which are used to treat many conditions. These include CIS and MS, which Rebif is also used to treat.

When used on their own, both Rebif and monoclonal antibodies may increase your risk of infection. Taking these drugs together could further increase the risk of this side effect.

Here are some monoclonal antibodies that may interact with Rebif:

• alemtuzumab (Campath, Lemtrada)
• natalizumab (Tysabri, Tyruko)
• ocrelizumab (Ocrevus)
• ofatumumab (Arzerra, Kesimpta)

What you can do

Before starting Rebif treatment, tell your doctor about other medications you take. They can determine the best course of action if you’re already taking a monoclonal antibody.

If your doctor prescribes Rebif with a monoclonal antibody, tell them right away if you have any symptoms of infection. These may include fever, chills, or body aches. Your doctor will recommend what to do if you have an infection.

If you have questions about using Rebif with a monoclonal antibody, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Interaction with ozanimod

Rebif can interact with ozanimod (Zeposia). Like Rebif, this drug is used to treat CIS and MS. Ozanimod is also used to treat ulcerative colitis.

Rebif and ozanimod can both increase the risk of infection when used individually. So taking these drugs together can further increase this risk.

What you can do

Before you start Rebif treatment, tell your doctor if you’re taking ozanimod. They can determine whether it’s safe to take these drugs together.

If you use Rebif with ozanimod, tell your doctor right away if you have any symptoms of infection. These may include fever, chills, or body aches. Your doctor will advise you on what to do if you have an infection.

If you have questions about using Rebif with ozanimod, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Interaction with vigabatrin

Rebif may interact with vigabatrin (Sabril, Vigafyde, others), which is used to treat certain seizures.

Although uncommon, Rebif may cause eye problems, including vision changes. Vigabatrin can also cause serious eye-related side effects. Taking these medications together could increase your risk of eye problems.

What you can do

Before starting Rebif treatment, tell your doctor if you’re taking vigabatrin. They can tell you whether it’s safe to take these drugs together.

If your doctor prescribes Rebif with vigabatrin, tell them right away if you have any eye pain or vision changes. They’ll advise you on what to do if you have eye-related side effects.

If you have questions about using Rebif with vigabatrin, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Are there other interactions with Rebif?

Rebif may have other interactions. They could occur with supplements, foods, vaccines, or even lab tests.

Here are additional interactions that may occur with Rebif. Note that this is not a full list of all other possible interactions with Rebif.

Does Rebif interact with supplements?

Before starting Rebif, talk with your doctor and pharmacist about any herbs, vitamins, or supplements you take. Sharing this information with them may help you avoid possible interactions.

If you have questions about interactions that may affect you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Rebif and herbs

There are currently no reports of Rebif interacting with herbs. But this doesn’t mean that interactions with herbs won’t be recognized in the future. For this reason, it’s important to check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any of these products during treatment with Rebif.

Rebif and vitamins

There are currently no reports of Rebif interacting with vitamins. But this doesn’t mean that vitamin interactions won’t be recognized in the future. For this reason, it’s important to check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any of these products during treatment with Rebif.

Does Rebif interact with food?

There are currently no reports of Rebif interacting with food. If you have questions about eating certain foods during treatment with Rebif, talk with your doctor.

Does Rebif interact with vaccines?

There are currently no reports of Rebif interacting with vaccines. If you have questions about getting certain vaccines during your Rebif treatment, talk with your doctor.

Does Rebif interact with lab tests?

There are currently no reports of Rebif interacting with lab tests. If you have questions about having certain lab tests during your treatment with Rebif, talk with the healthcare professional ordering the test.

Does Rebif interact with cannabis or CBD?

There are currently no reports of Rebif interacting with cannabis (commonly called marijuana) or cannabis products such as cannabidiol (CBD). But as with any drug or supplement, talk with your doctor before using cannabis with Rebif.

Note: Cannabis is illegal at a federal level but is legal in many states to varying degrees.

Does my health history affect whether I should use Rebif?

Certain medical conditions or other health factors may raise the risk of interactions with Rebif. Before starting this medication, talk with your doctor about your health history. They’ll determine whether Rebif is right for you.

Health conditions or other factors that might interact with Rebif include:

Liver problems: Before starting Rebif, tell your doctor if you have a liver problem. Liver damage is a possible Rebif side effect, which could worsen an existing liver condition. Your doctor can recommend whether Rebif is a safe option for you.

Seizure conditions: Before starting Rebif, tell your doctor if you have a seizure condition such as epilepsy. Rebif may increase your risk of seizure. Your doctor can help decide whether Rebif is a safe treatment option for you.

Thyroid problems: Before starting Rebif, tell your doctor if you have a thyroid problem. Rebif may cause new or worsened thyroid problems. Your doctor may recommend checking your thyroid hormone levels more often during Rebif treatment. If needed, they can adjust your thyroid treatment plan.

Blood clots or bleeding problems: Before starting Rebif, tell your doctor if you’ve had blood clots or a bleeding problem. Rebif may increase your risk of bleeding or blood clot-related side effects. Your doctor can recommend whether Rebif is a safe option for you.

Low blood cell levels: Before starting Rebif, your doctor may order tests to check your levels of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. If your blood cell levels are already low, Rebif could lower them further. Your doctor will recommend whether Rebif is a safe option for you.

Pregnancy: It’s not known whether Rebif is safe to use during pregnancy. If you’re pregnant or may become pregnant, talk with your doctor before starting this medication.

Breastfeeding: It’s not known whether it’s safe to use Rebif while breastfeeding. The drug passes into breast milk, but it isn’t known whether it may cause side effects in a child who is breastfed. If you’re breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed, talk with your doctor about your options.

Allergic reaction: If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Rebif or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe this drug for you. They can recommend other treatments that may be better options for you.

Depression or thoughts of suicide: Before starting Rebif, tell your doctor if you’ve had depression or thoughts of suicide. Rebif may worsen depression or increase the risk of suicidal thoughts or behavior. Your doctor can determine whether Rebif is a safe treatment option for you.

How can I prevent interactions?

Taking certain steps can help you avoid interactions with Rebif. Before starting treatment, talk with your doctor and pharmacist. Things to discuss with them include:

• whether you drink alcohol or use cannabis
• the list of medications you take, as well as any vitamins, supplements, and herbs
• what to do if you start taking a new drug during your Rebif treatment

It’s also important to understand Rebif’s label and other paperwork that may come with it. Colored stickers that describe interactions may be on the label. The paperwork, sometimes called the patient package insert or medication guide, may have other details about interactions.

If you did not get paperwork with Rebif, ask your pharmacist to print a copy for you. If you have difficulty reading or understanding this information, your doctor or pharmacist can help.

Using Rebif exactly as prescribed can also help prevent interactions.

Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.